William S. Knudsen
| William Knudsen | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
March 25, 1879 Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Died | April 27, 1948 (aged 69) Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant General
|
| Commands held |
Director of War Production Air Technical Service Command |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Army Distinguished Service Medal (2), American Campaign Medal World War Two Victory Medal |
William Signius Knudsen (March 25, 1879 – April 27, 1948) was a leading automotive industry executive and an American general during World War II. His experience and success as a key senior manager in the operations sides of Ford Motor Company and later General Motors led the Franklin Roosevelt Administration to commission him as a Lieutenant General in the United States Army to help lead the United States' war materiel production efforts for World War II.
Knudsen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. His name was originally Signius Wilhelm Poul Knudsen. He immigrated to the United States arriving in New York in February 1900.
Knudsen was working for the John R. Keim Company of Buffalo, New York, a bicycle and auto parts maker, when the Ford Motor Company bought it in 1911 for its steel-stamping experience and tooling. Knudsen worked for Ford from 1911 to 1921, a decade that saw the formative development of the modern assembly line and true mass production. Working first for the Ford Motor Company and later for General Motors from 1921, Knudsen became an expert on mass production and a skilled manager. Knudsen was president of the Chevrolet Division of General Motors from 1924 to 1937, and was president of General Motors from 1937 to 1940.
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